Chapter 28: Chapter 28 - The Swim Test
"And they are in, the first candidates, Emily is treading water, Augustus on the bottom left, head underwater, Samuel is swimming hard, freestyle, and Evonne where is Evonne!"
On the big screen where the ten minutes had been disappeared replaced with a massive video close up footage of the kids.
"Lee, out of the kids that have just dropped in who do you think will survive?"
"My bets are on Emily. Who do you think will not make it?"
"Well at this stage I think Samuel looks pretty good, but if I was a betting person I would say, Evonne…"
"Evonne is back up! Look at her go, she is breast stroking!"
"Augustus is not doing well, his face is still underwater, can we get a report on him?"
The screen changed showing a detailed computerised report.
A picture of a body with different colours. Air Available: 20%. Heart Beating: Yes.
"It looks like he's still alive but if he doesn't start moving soon, he's going to die."
This was another test, I didn't even know how to swim, how I was going to survive? How could these this man and woman just sit there, commentating and making it seem as if it was a competition?
"Emily has made it, with 5 minutes to go. Is that the fastest record? Team Tao 5 points."
"I don't think so."
"Oh kids, I forgot to tell you, you are competing with each other, the first person to the podium will get 5 points, then 4 points, and 2 points. If you are the last person on the podium, just be glad your alive. The team with the highest point will be given a reward."
Just as he finished saying that, I noticed that from the top of the room, elevated above the pool was a net. Thin with small boxes like a massive Flyscreen. With every second that passed the net was lowering.
"Augustus has flipped over, and he doesn't seem to want to go back down under the water."
"With his body so big, there is no way he would drown."
"His moving, well not really his just lying on his back and letting his body mass drift to the podium. He either sure has some confidence, or he clearly doesn't see what is above him. I don't think he will make it."
"Evonne is coming closer, just 100 metres"
"Samuel what happened to Samuel, his just 50 metres away and yet he has stopped. He looks like he's in pain, he's reaching for his toes."
"Evonne has made it. 3 minutes remaining"
"It's now between Augustus and Samuel. Will they both make it?"
"Augustus is still 150 metres away and it doesn't look like he'll make it."
"Oh, and there is one other thing we forgot to mention."
The net was practically just above the water now.
"If you do not make it to the middle in the time frame the net will get you and push you underwater."
As if Augustus had heard what was said, he actually started rotating his arms, swimming fast towards the stand.
"It's a race against time, Augustus just 50 metres, Samuel seems to have fixed whatever issues he was previously experiencing and is back on the race."
"1-minute remaining…they will need to swim faster…"
"20 metres…will they both make…oh no? Samuel has frozen again…."
"30 seconds remaining….."
"Augustus has made it."
"10 seconds, 10 metres…"
My heart was in my throat, the crowd was roaring for Samuel but he was still at the same spot, what was wrong with him, why was he standing there? Come on!
It was too late. The net was on top of him. Pushing him deep into the water.
His arms pushed, his legs kicked, his whole body shuddered, but it was no use.
The cameras zoomed onto his face, it squirmed, and his mouth opened…
The whole stadium fell dead silent.
Samuel was dead and he was never coming back.
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